Article 26 of the Constitution provides for freedom of association. NGOs must register with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and operate within the framework of revised NGO Policy Regulations from 2009. The regulations state that NGOs must renew their registration every two years; failure to do so results in termination of the organisation’s operations. Organisations are also subject to a requirement to report annually. Reports must including all projects implemented, donors’ details and other supervisory requirements. Human Rights Defenders face harassment, threats and intimidation, especially those working on land rights and corporate accountability.

Article 26 of Sierra Leone’s constitution provides for freedom of assembly; however it is regulated by the Public Order Act (POA) 1965 and the Police Act, 1964, laws which impose some limitations on this right. For any meeting of ten persons and above, a permit must be secured from the Commissioner of Police 48 hours before the meeting commences. To convene a public meeting anywhere within the provinces, the permission of the Paramount Chief of the Chiefdom must be sought in writing. Although, there is no reliable information on the number of requests to hold rallies that are denied, restrictions regarding public gathering or demonstrations are provided for in section 19 of the POA. Police have also used excessive force to disperse peaceful protests, especially during the state of emergency which was sparked by the Ebola crisis in 2015.

Freedom of expression is constitutionally protected in Sierra Leone. However, legislative restrictions are still in place, for instance the Public Order Act which criminalises defamatory and seditious libel and the publication of false news. This legislation is used by the authorities to prosecute journalists critical of the government. Journalists who criticise the government are also are subject to intimidation and harassment and even detention. Although several newspapers are published in the country, all of the information is printed in English which limits proper access to information for the majority which does not speak or understand English. Since 2013, Sierra Leone has benefitted from an access to information law, however its proper implementation is still lacking. During the 2014 Ebola crisis, the government used powers granted by the state of emergency to silence and arrest journalists critical of government policies.